Tower Hamlets approves new five-storey block of flats with no 'affordable' homes

Tower Hamlets Council has granted planning permission for a new five-storey block of flats in Fish Island, set to include both residential units and commercial art studios.

HL Simons is behind the development on Monier Road with plans for nine creative studio spaces on the ground and first floors, and nine self-contained dwellings above.

The site at 50 Monier Road, previously home to a warehouse demolished in 2019, has remained vacant since.

A planning statement accompanying the application highlighted the area's ongoing "significant redevelopment."

It says: “Monier Road is currently experiencing a significant amount of change with many buildings on the north west facing side of the road having been recently demolished with their sites awaiting development.”

Proposals say there will be three each of one-bed, two-bed and three-bed flats.

None of them will be designated as “affordable” homes as local policy only requires this from developments of ten homes or above.

They also say that the commercial studios “have been designed to appeal to a variety of small to medium sized businesses”.

However none of these will be designated as “affordable” either. Local planning policy only requires this from commercial developments of 1,000 sqm or greater.

A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said: “This site is in the former LLDC area and so we are required to use the LLDC Local Plan to assess applications.

“If the application was assessed under the Tower Hamlets Local Plan we would have sought a financial contribution towards the delivery of affordable housing in the area, however we are currently unable to do this. Once our emerging Local Plan is adopted we will be able to seek financial contributions on such sites.”

Council planning officers approved the application on Tuesday, 19th May.

They said the plans are in accordance with the council’s “objectives for regeneration in this area”.